Abebaw Thesis After Defence

EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BIOLOGY
CURRICULUM IN DESSIE COLLEGE OF TEACHERS’ EDUCATION
M.Ed. Thesis
ABEBAW ABAYNEH
December 2009
Haramaya University

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Education, Department of Biology,
School of Graduate Studies
HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
MASTER OF EDUCATION IN BIOLOGY
By
Abebaw Abayneh
August 2008
Haramaya University

ii
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY
As thesis research advisor, I hereby certify that I have read and evaluated this thesis prepared,
under my guidance, by Abebaw Abayneh entitled: Evaluation of the Implementation of
Biology Curriculum in D
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. I recommend that it be
submitted as fulfilling the Thesis requirement.
______________________ _________________ _______________
Major Advisor Signature Date
_____________________ __________________ _______________
Co –Advisor Signature Date
As member of the Board of Examiners of the M.Ed Thesis Open Defense Examination, We
certify that we have read, evaluated the Thesis prepared by Abebaw Abayneh and examined
the candidate. We recommended that the Thesis be accepted as fulfilling the Thesis
requirement for the Degree of Master of Education in Biology.
______________________ _________________ _______________
Chairperson Signature Date
______________________ _________________ _______________
Internal Examiner Signature Date
______________________ _________________ _______________
External Examiner Signature Date

iii
DEDICATION
I dedicate this thesis manuscript to my wife, Shibrie Getachew, my daughters, Hibist Abebaw
and Lisanemariam Abebaw, my mother, Butika Feleke and all my sisters, for their love and
untold-enormous partnership effort in my academic success.

iv
STATEMENT OF AUTHOR
First, I declare that this thesis is the result of my own work and that all sources or materials
used for this thesis have been duly acknowledged. This thesis is submitted in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for an M.Ed. degree at Haramaya University and to be made
available at the University’s Library under the rules of the Library. I assertively declare that
this thesis has not been submitted to any other institutions anywhere for the award of any
academic degree, diploma, or certificate.
Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that
accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation
from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by Dean of the
School of Graduate Studies when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in
the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from
the author.
Name: Abebaw Abayneh Signature: ……………………
Place: Haramaya University
Date of submission: August, 2008

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
The author was born in South Wollo Administrative Zone of the Amhara National Regional
State in 1977. He completed his primary education in Soye Primary School. He attended his
junior and high school education at Borena Junior Secondary School and Borena High
School, respectively, in Mekane Selam. He then joined Bahir Dar University in September
1997 and graduated with B.Ed degree in biology in July 2001.
After his graduation, he worked in Borena Preparatory Secondary School for two years and
has been working as a land use expert in Debresina Woreda Environmental Protection, Land
Administration and Use Office since June 2003. In July 2006, he joined the graduate program
in biology education at Haramaya University. The author is married and has two daughters.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I want to give my thanks to Almighty God and his mother, St. Marry for
smoothening of all aspects of my life and my study in particular. I would like to extend my
heartfelt thanks to my major advisor Dr. Solomon Areaya, as without his encouragement and
guidance, the completion of this work may not have been possible. Thus, I am very much
indebted to him for all his support and willingness to advise me to successfully finalize the
thesis. Special appreciation should also go to my co-advisor Dr Ameha Kebede, as he added
valuable and constructive comments in the proposal and the thesis as well.
I would like to express my heart-felt thanks, gratitude and appreciation to my beloved wife,
Shibrie Getachew, who is always with me in help and wish for my success through her
everyday pray. I would also like to express my heart-felt thanks, gratitude and appreciation to
my lovely mother Butika Feleke, and to my lovely sisters, Fentanesh Abayneh, Tiruwork
Abayneh, Habtam Abayneh, Zenebech Abayneh and Mekides Shiferaw for their generous
assistance, moral support and helpful encouragement during my graduate study with all their
kindness and affection.
I am greatly indebted to Ato Demissew Embiale for his greatest moral, financial, and material
helps and encouragements to accomplish my study successfully.
The 112 respondents of DCTE and other collaborating individuals also deserve special thanks
for their unforgettable contribution during data collection.

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
AAU Addis Ababa University
ANRS Amhara National Regional State
ANRSEB Amhara National Regional State Education Bureau
CTEI College of Teachers’ Education Institution
DBCTE Debrebirhan College of Teacher Education
DCTE Dessie College of Teachers Education
EMA Education Media Agency
f frequency
GCTE Gondar College of Teacher Education
MoE Ministry of Education
MoI Ministry of Information
NSTET Natural Science Teacher Education Trainee
PBL Problem Based Learning
R Respondents
TEI Teacher Education Institution
TESO Teacher Education System Overhaul
TTI Teacher Training Institute
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
V very
10+2 Second year
10+3 Third year

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
STATEMENT OF AUTHOR ................................................................................................ iv
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .................................................................................................. v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................................... vi
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...............................................................................................vii
LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. xi
LIST OF FIGURES ...............................................................................................................xii
LIST OF TABLES IN THE APPENDIX............................................................................xiii
ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................... xiv
1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................ 1
1.1. Back ground of the Problem ...............................................................................1
1.2. Statement of the Problem...................................................................................4
1.3. Objectives of the Study......................................................................................4
1.4. Research Questions...........................................................................................5
1. 5. Significance of the Study ..................................................................................5
1.6. Delimitation of the Study...................................................................................6
1.7. Limitation of the Study......................................................................................6
2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE......................................................................... 7
2.1. Curriculum Implementation................................................................................7
2.2. Evaluation of Curriculum and Curriculum Implementation .....................................8
2.3. Teacher Education in Ethiopia ..........................................................................12

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TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)
2.4. Approaches of Science Education Provision .......................................................13
2.5. Teacher Education System Overhaul (TESO)......................................................17
2.6. Factors Affecting Curriculum Implementation ....................................................20
2.7. Teaching and Learning Biology ........................................................................23
2.8. Student Evaluation in Biology ..........................................................................24
2.9. Nature of Tests and the Objectives to be Measured ..............................................26
3. MATERIALS AND METHODS ...................................................................................... 30
3.1. Samples and Sampling Techniques....................................................................30
3.2. Source of Data and Data Gathering Tools...........................................................33
3.3. Data Analysis.................................................................................................37
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ........................................................................................ 39
4.1. Clarity of the Program to the School Community.................................................39
4.2. Adequacy and Responsiveness of the Curriculum ................................................40
4.3. Emphasis Given for Implementation of the Program Components..........................47
4.4. Implementation of Active Learning and Student Centered Approach ......................52
4.5. The Implementation of Practical Activities in Biology Courses..............................62
4.6. Attitude of NSTETs towards Teaching Profession ...............................................68
4.7. Outcomes of the Implementation of Biology Curriculum ......................................72
4.8. Problems Influencing Biology Curriculum Implementation...................................79
5. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION........................................ 82
5.1. Summary and Conclusion ................................................................................82
5.2. Recommendation............................................................................................84
6. REFERENCES................................................................................................................... 86

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TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)
7. APPENDICES .................................................................................................................... 89
7.1. Appendix I: List of Tables................................................................................90
7.2. Appendix II: List of Achievement Test ............................................................101
7.3. Appendix III: List of Interview Guides.............................................................103
7.4. Appendix IV: List of Questionnaires................................................................106

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LIST OF TABLES
Tables Page
1. Population and sample size of the study ............................................................................. 32
2.The five biology courses, the major contents and the credit hours of the courses............... 40
3.The opinion of respondents on adequacy of the biology curriculum to prepare trainees for
upper primary school biology teaching............................................................................ 41
4.The opinion of respondents on emphasis given for implementation of the program
components ...................................................................................................................... 49
5.The opinion of respondents on student- teacher interaction in the classroom..................... 55
6.The opinion of respondents on continuous assessment practice during the training program
.......................................................................................................................................... 57
7. The extent of courses that involve practical activities in the biology courses.................. 63
8. The extent of conduction of experiments and availability of resources.............................. 65
9.The attitude of trainees to the subject matter and to the profession..................................... 70
10a. The opinion of respondents on outcomes of biology curriculum implementation in the
program components........................................................................................................ 73
10b.The opinion of respondents on outcomes of biology curriculum implementation in the
program components........................................................................................................ 77

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figures Page
1. The focus of evaluation of implementation ........................................................................ 11
2. Factors affecting curriculum implementation..................................................................... 22
3. The process of students’ evaluation.................................................................................... 26
4.The location of the study area.............................................................................................. 30

xiii
LIST OF TABLES IN THE APPENDIX
Appendix Table Page
1. Clarity of TESO curriculum objectives to the school community...................................... 90
2. Class room observation Results (Rating scale)................................................................... 91
3. Class Room Observation Results (Checklist) ..................................................................... 92
4 . The test achievement results of second and third NSTETs................................................ 93
5. Rank of factors influencing the implementation of biology curriculum at DCTE (Rank by
10+2 NSTETs) ................................................................................................................. 94
10+3 NSTETs) ................................................................................................................. 95
instructors) ....................................................................................................................... 96
8. Table of specification for the test of biology courses at DCTE.......................................... 97
9. Discrimination index values of the pretest results of the achievement test items............... 98
10. The match between biology contents of DCTE and upper primary school (grade 7)....... 99
11. The match between biology contents of DCTE and upper primary school (grade 8)..... 100

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ABSTRACT
The study was made to investigate the extent of implementation of biology curriculum vis-à-
vis the implications of TESO to biology curriculum and to identify the major problems
impeding its implementation at DCTE which is found in ANRS, Dessie town. The study
utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods of data gathering tools such as
questionnaires, observation ratings and checklists, biology curricular documents at DCTE
and at upper primary school, interview and achievement tests. The data was gathered from
269 target population taking 102 NSTETs, 7 biology instructors, one natural science
department head and two college principals. The data was analyzed and interpreted using
frequency, percentage, mean and narration. The results of the study generally indicated that
the biology curricula that are being employed at DCTE and at upper primary schools (grade
7and 8) are congruent enough to prepare NSTETs for teaching biology at upper primary
school, but there were gaps between the intended and the implemented curriculum at DCTE.
NSTETs were generally deficit in subject matter knowledge (biology) and in some
pedagogical skills such as experimentation skills, action research skills, problem solving
skills and in terms of confidence. There were a number of factors affecting the implementation
of biology curriculum in the college. Some of the major ones were poor supply of laboratory
equipment and chemicals, inability to concretize the subject matter, time constraint to cover
the course contents, teacher-centered classroom, inefficiency of teachers, difficult words in
the text, language competency problems of NSTETs , poor attention given by principals for
implementing biology curriculum, unfair time allocation for the program components,
absence of laboratory schedule, and low emphasis given for implementation of practicum.
Thus, on the basis of these results, suggestions were made to alleviate such problems in order
to attain the intended objectives.

1. INTRODUCTION
This unit deals with the background of the study, statement of the problem, basic research
questions to be answered, objectives, delimitation and limitation of the study.
1.1. Back ground of the Problem
The term curriculum is used in several different ways in modern educational literatures. It has
both broad and narrow definitions. In its narrow sense, it is an out line of course of study and
in its broad sense; it is considered as every thing that transpires in the course of planning,
teaching and learning in an educational institution. It can also be defined as a plan for action
or written document which includes strategies for achieving the intended goals and objectives
(Diribisa et al., 1999:1-3). So, curriculum is a major information source for classroom
teachers with regard to the purpose, the objective, the content of instruction, the methods,
techniques, and strategies of instruction, patterns of organization, media materials, means and
strategies of assuring success (ibid:31).
Curriculum implementation is the effort made to put what has been planned into practice. It is
accomplished by classroom teaching learning processes. The classroom teachers play a major
role in organizing, planning and directing the students’ learning towards the intended
objectives of the curriculum. So, the day-to-day classroom interaction of instructors and
NSTETs is a determinant factor for success (Diribisa et al., 1999:40).
Evaluation is a comprehensive and continuous process which covers every aspects of an
individual’s achievement in the educative programme. It is an integrated part of education in
which students and teachers are partners. It signifies a wider range of judging students’
progress in various aspects. This evaluation integrates with the entire tasks of education and
includes examinations, tests and measurement (Aggarwal, 1997:130).

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The training of teachers in Ethiopia has a long history, more than half a century. In Amhara
National Regional State (ANRS), there are four colleges of teacher education institutions
(Gondar, Debremarkos, Dessie and Debrebirhan) that have been training teachers at certificate
and diploma levels. Dessie College of Teachers’ Education (
(D
DC
CT
TE
E)
) is one of these
institutions that has been used to train teachers for the last 28 years. The college was founded
in 1980 by the MoE to train primary school teachers from different regions of the country.
From 1980-1989, the trainees were recruited from Wollo, Gojam, Wollega, Arsi, Sidamo,
Harar, Shewa, Tigray, and Addis-Ababa. The average enrollment rate of the trainees was 550
per year (Dessie TTI, 1990:1-5). Later, the institute began to train candidates only from
Amhara, Afar and Benishangul-Gumuz regions until the 2006/07 academic year in both
regular and evening programs. Currently the institute is training candidates from ANRS only.
In August 2003, the ANRS upgraded the institute to diploma level to train diploma teachers in
five streams, i.e., mathematics, natural science, language, social science, and aesthetics, to
alleviate shortage of upper primary school teachers. Since then, the college has been training
diploma teachers in regular, extension, summer and distance programs. The institute has
graduated diploma holding teachers in the last two academic years (2005/06 and 2006/07).
Currently (2007/08 academic years), 163 third and 93 second year natural science students
(trainees) are attending in the college. There are also ten biology instructors, one natural
science department head, two deans (dean and academic vice dean) and other supportive
administrative staff members running the program.
Natural science stream (department) is a composite of three subjects, namely: biology,
chemistry and physics education. The NSTETs are supposed to complete 116 credit hours for
graduation. The time allotted for the three subjects is 16-18 credits each and the remaining
credit hours account for the supplementary courses (practicum and professional courses).
Such credit hours are assumed to be enough for NSTETs to teach the three subjects at upper
primary school (DCTE, 2006:1, TESO pre-service committee, 203:45). But, in Ethiopia,
currently there are problems of provision of quality education in natural science including
biology. The subject matters of the disciplines in natural science and mathematics are faced
with inherent difficulties. Textual approach and two dimensional representation of the real life

3
situation take the highest share. Students don’t concretize objects and observe processes and
relationships. Even if the laboratories are equipped with the necessary materials, they require
well informed (trained) teachers who can assemble the apparatuses together and establish the
necessary procedures for experimenting (Aderajew, 2007:7-9). Ambaye (1999:1) also stated
that all available evidences indicated that among teachers in Ethiopia, the critical determinants
of effective teaching, namely knowledge of the subject matter, pedagogical skills, and
motivation are critically lacking. The reason for this is inability of the teacher training system
to respond to the difficult tasks of the training and complex processes of education in the
context of limited resources. This implies that the efficiency of a classroom teacher is crucial
to the success of education. Bakalu and Netsanet (2005: 185) noted that higher institutions of
Ethiopia produce graduates who lack confidence in their skills and knowledge which in turn
hinder progress and development. Aderajew (2007:7-9) stated that quality problem is not the
problem of primary and secondary schools only, but also the problem of the tertiary education
in integrating theory with practice even in TEIs that are having regular, summer and distance
programs.
Similarly, based on personal experience, the researcher also believes that the diploma
graduate teachers of natural science stream have serious academic shortcomings to teach
biology at upper primary schools due to ineffective implementation of the biology curriculum
in the college in line with the objective of TESO.
There are no direct and accessible studies made on the implementation of biology curriculum
at higher institution level except a comparative study made on implementation of practical
activity in biology in two institutions at Nekemte and some points rose in relation to
integration of real life situation with theoretical aspects in mathematics and natural science.
Even though there is no study in implementation of biology curriculum in higher institutions,
the researcher is initiated to carry out the study as he believes that there are problems of
implementation of biology curriculum in the country in general and in DCTE in particular. In
other words, the researcher senses that there is a gap between the intention and
implementation of teacher education program in general and that of biology curriculum in

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particular vis-à-vis the new paradigm shift of the country as indicated in the TESO document
(TESO pre-service committee, 2003:37).
1.2. Statement of the Problem
Biology, a branch of natural science, plays a very important role in satisfying the growing
human needs in all spheres of life such as agriculture, industry,and medicine. To utilize
biology for various purposes including teaching, trainees should master biological contents as
well as pedagogical knowledge in combination. This could be achieved when the theoretical,
practical, and pedagogical aspects of biology education are integrated in the teacher education
curriculum.
On the basis of his own observations and experiences, the researcher believes that there are
implementation problems of biology curriculum, which need to be researched at DCTE.
Besides his experience, evaluation of implementation of a curriculum should be done
repeatedly as it helps to know the extent of translation of the plan to work and to correct the
implementation weaknesses in order to enhance the learning outcomes (Saskatchewan
Education, 1992). Hence, the general purpose of this study is to examine the implementation
of Biology curriculum vis-à-vis the implications of TESO to Biology curriculum.
1.3. Objectives of the Study
This study addresses the following objectives;
1. Examine the match and/or mismatch between the implementation of a Biology
curriculum at DCTE and the principles of TESO.
2. Examine the level of the attainment of the intended objectives of a biology curriculum
at DCTE in terms of NSTETs’ attitude, knowledge, and professional skills.
3. Examine the congruence between the biology curriculum offered to NSTETs at the
college and that of biology curriculum they are expected to teach (Grades 7 & 8) after
completion of the program.
4. Investigate factors influencing the implementation of biology curriculum at DCTE.

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1.4. Research Questions
In line with the aforementioned objectives, the study therefore attempts to find answers for the
following specific research questions;
1. How is the match and/or mismatch between the implementation of Biology curriculum
at DCTE and the principles of TESO?
2. Are the intended objectives of Biology curriculum at DCTE attained in terms of
attitude, knowledge and pedagogical skills?
3. What is the level of congruence between the contents of biology courses offered to
NSTETs at DCTE and that of biology curriculum NSTETs are expected to teach at the
upper primary schools (grades 7-8)?
4. What are the factors affecting the implementation of Biology curriculum at DCTE?
1. 5. Significance of the Study
This study is important at least for the following reasons:
1. It will help to create awareness about the status of the implementation of the program
among policy makers, planners and implementers and accordingly could help to take
appropriate measures towards the full attainment of the intended objectives.
2. Teachers in the college in general and biology teacher educators at DCTE in particular
could benefit from the study by way of examining and learning from their successful
as well as unsuccessful practices in the process of producing the required types of
teachers for the level.
3. It could serve as a baseline for further in-depth studies on biology curriculum in the
college and other equivalent TEIs in the country.

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1.6. Delimitation of the Study
The natural science diploma teacher education program at DCTE constitutes a composite of
three subjects: biology, chemistry and physics. The three subjects are placed under one stream
(natural science) instead of under full-fledged separate departments. However, since each of
the three sciences exist as well organized and independent disciplines consisting of their own
courses, this study will focus only on biology curriculum.
Emphases are made on the survey of factors that affect the implementation of biology
curriculum at the DCTE. Thus, the generalizability of this study will also be limited to DCTE
natural science education students (trainees) even though it could have implications to similar
contexts within and outside the region. The study didn’t also attempt to examine the
sequences of the organization of contents in the courses although it is known that it is one of
the determinant factors in the implementation of curriculum.
1.7. Limitation of the Study
Though there are four CTEIs in the region, the study was conducted on one of the institutes,
which may not be representative for other equivalent colleges. The major limiting factors for
extension of the scope to other institutions are financial and time constraints. The references
used in the study may not also be sufficient enough due to lack of updated reference materials
at Haramaya University.
Although there could be attained valuable data from upper primary school biology teachers ,
they were not include in the target population of the study due to time and resource
constraints. So the information obtained from the college instructors and the third year
NSTETs on the contents of biology at upper primary school and on effectiveness of graduates
in the classroom may not be sufficient.

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2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
In this unit, important documents necessary for the study are consulted in order to assess
what has been done so far in line with the topic and to identify the research gaps. Besides, this
unit serves as a theoretical framework for data analysis and interpretation.
2.1. Curriculum Implementation
Curriculum is an academic plan or a total blueprint for actions where the objectives, aims and
outcomes of a program are clarified and the processes required to achieve them are identified;
the methods required to measure success are selected; and systematic review and adjustment
mechanisms are incorporated as part of the plan (Chhem, 2001: 132). If a curriculum is to be a
plan for learning, its contents and learning experiences need to be organized so that they serve
the educational objectives. So organization in curriculum is an important determinant factor
for effectiveness. Often curriculum is ineffective as learning experiences are organized in a
way that makes learning either less efficient or less productive than it might be (Taba,
1962:290).
Curriculum implementation is expressed as the effort made to put what has been planned into
use or practice and is a function of a number of variables. Some of the variables are the nature
of the curriculum itself, the situation of the learner, the professional competency of the
instructors, availability of resources, the school environment, the school-community
relationships and the leadership and management practices in the school (Diribisa et al.,
1999:40-63). As implementer of the curriculum, the teacher has been recognized as being
critical to the success of the curriculum (Ambaye, 1999:5). Implementation of curriculum at
various levels involves four stages in the change process. These are making awareness of the
curriculum change or innovation through education and staff development activities, making
teachers feel more comfortable with the technical and pedagogical aspects of the change, as
they feel comfort with the curriculum, more teachers begin to change their practice, forming a
“critical mass’’ and finally the curriculum change is fully accepted and becomes

8
institutionalized in the organization. Each stage in the process is critical if the innovation is to
occur successfully; Failure at any one of the first three stages can prevent full implementation
(Marlow and Minehira, 2003).
Designing the curriculum is the most exciting and creative part of curriculum development.
However, the ultimate goal is not to design the best and ideal curriculum, but to put it into
practice successfully. The many conditions and requirements for successful implementation
include the promotion of faculty members’ ownership of the process of curriculum
implementation and the allocation of adequate resources. Unequivocal support from the
highest academic authority must be secured before starting to put a new curriculum into
operation (Chhem, 2001: 132).
In the implementation of TESO curriculum objectives of Ethiopia, TEIs are responsible in
monitoring and evaluating the commitment of teacher educators and ensuring the availability
of resources, textbooks and teacher guides enough for practicum; and teacher educators are
responsible to prepare NSTETs for actual school experience, monitor and evaluate, and give
written and oral feedback within a day of observation (TESO pre-service sub-committee,
2003: 12).
2.2. Evaluation of Curriculum and Curriculum Implementation
The term evaluation is defined in a variety of ways by different curriculum planners and
implementers. To mention few, it is the processes of describing some thing in terms of
selected attributes and judging the degree of acceptability or suitability of that which has been
described. Evaluation is a continuous process which may be academic or non-academic and is
a procedure to improve the product. If the purpose of evaluation is to enhance and encourage
the course of study, it must be able to determine whether the pupils are really developing
greater educational value from the enriched and vitalized programme than they did formerly
(Aggarwal: 1997:134-138). Diribisa et al., (1999:41) also stated it as a systematic collection,
analysis and interpretation of data for the purpose of decision making.

9
When we come to the two terms, evaluation of curriculum and evaluation of curriculum
implementation, they are two different processes. Curriculum evaluation is the study of the
curriculum plan itself. As Solomon (2000:15) noted curriculum evaluation is the study of
inherent characteristics of the curriculum document rather than its effect. The focuses of the
study are on the adequacy of objectives, consistency between the objectives, and the contents
of the instructional materials and the accuracy, coverage and significance of contents.
According to Saskatchewan Education (1992), Curriculum evaluation involves the gathering
of information (the assessment phase) and the making of judgments or decisions based on the
information collected (the evaluation phase), to determine how well the curriculum is
performing. The principal reason for curriculum evaluation is to plan improvements to the
curriculum. Such improvements might involve changes to the curriculum document and/or the
provision of resources or in-service training to teachers. It is intended that curriculum
evaluation be a shared, collaborative effort involving all of the major education partners in the
country.
Although the national education organization is responsible for conducting curriculum
evaluations, various agencies and educational groups will be involved, for instance,
contractors may be hired to design assessment instruments; teachers will be involved in
instrument development, validation, field testing, scoring, and data interpretation; and the
cooperation of school divisions and school boards will be necessary for the successful
operation of the program (ibid).
In the assessment phase, information will be gathered from students, teachers, and
administrators. The information obtained from educators will indicate the degree to which the
curriculum is being implemented, the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum, and the
problems encountered in teaching it. The information from students will indicate how well
they are achieving the intended objectives and will provide indications about their attitudes
toward the curriculum. Student information will be gathered through the use of a variety of
strategies including paper-and-pencil tests (objective and open-response), performance (hands
on) tests, interviews, surveys, and observation (ibid).

10
As part of the evaluation phase, assessment information will be interpreted by representatives
of all major education partners including the curriculum and evaluation departments of the
country, educational organization and classroom teachers. The information collected during
the assessment phase will be examined, and recommendations, generated by an interpretation
panel, will address areas in which improvements can be made. These recommendations will
be forwarded to the appropriate groups such as the curriculum and instruction division, school
divisions and schools, universities, and educational organizations in the country (ibid).
On the other hand, evaluation of curriculum implementation is a process of collecting,
analyzing and interpreting data about the various variables of the curriculum in relation to the
classroom instruction. The data can be on the nature of the objectives, the type, relevance and
difficulty level of the contents, the appropriateness and effectiveness of the learning
experiences, the organization pattern of the contents and the time allotment. The data on
evaluation of implementation can be on attitudes and achievements of learners, the views and
comments of teachers, and the availability of resources, media materials and administrative
environment of the school (Diribisa et al., 1999:41).
Curriculum implementation evaluation addresses to the question of whether what is planned
in the curriculum is put into action or use, or to what extent the intended plan is translated into
work as intended (Saskatchewan Education, 1992).
Although evaluation of implementation of the curriculum is the last step in its practical
approach, it is not necessarily the final action. The evaluation data collected must serve as
criteria for adjusting the curriculum to the goals of the programme or the mission of the
faculty. The most important message here is that a curriculum must be evaluated, corrected
and go through repeated levels of innovation because it is not a static system. Feedback from
teachers, tutors and students must continuously be taken into serious consideration so as to
enhance the learning outcomes for the students (Chhem, 2001: 132).

11
Figure 1. The focus of evaluation of implementation
By assessing the implementation of several technological innovations and by identifying and
analyzing the factors that influence the outcomes of implementation, Mei (1994) summarized
the following points:

12
1. The purposes of introducing an innovation must be clearly defined.
2. The nature of the innovation must be carefully determined and specified, to ensure that
it is applicable to the particular subject curriculum.
3. Selection of the components of the innovation must be appropriate to the subject
discipline and to the process of learning, so that it can improve the outcomes of
learning.
4. The implementation perspective must also be clearly defined, in order that the
innovation can be adopted both by the implementers and learners.
5. Factors that may influence the implementation process must be identified and
analyzed in detail, such that these factors can be controlled in further implementation
stages.
6. Changes in the innovation components may be necessary during different stages of the
implementation process to control unintentional outcomes, in order to bring about
effective learning.
7. An appropriate evaluation model must be sought that can accurately explore the
context of the innovation and its implementation.
8. The implementation of the innovation treatment must be carefully conducted, in order
to ensure that the findings may serve the purposes and hypotheses generated for the
evaluation study.
2.3. Teacher Education in Ethiopia
According to EMA-MOE (1999: 14), teacher education is one of the most important factors
that affect an educational system. Standards of education are raised at low cost through
teacher education than many other activities.
The role of teachers in overhauling the educational system and improving the quality and
standard of education in Ethiopia is very crucial. To this end, a revision of the curriculum,
upgrading the standard of in-service teachers’ training programs and massive training of new
teachers at different levels is required. Similarly, Ambaye (1999:3) stated that the success of
educational process is highly dependent on the character and ability of the teacher. Teaching

13
is more than imparting knowledge as it helps learners to learn by themselves, acquire skills,
and develop attitude in the changing social context. So teachers are the backbone of the whole
education program on which quality of education is highly dependent.
Training, conducting conferences to upgrade professional efficiency, distributing equitable
educational services, revising curriculumla, and conducting student-centered assessments,
setting up libraries and laboratories are some of the measures to be taken to improve quality
education (Lule, 2005).
There are different education programs in Ethiopia; First Cycle Primary Teacher Education
(Certificate) Program (10+1), Second Cycle Primary Teacher Education (Diploma) Program
(10+3 NSTETs), Secondary School Teacher Education (Degree) Program and Teacher
Education Graduate Programs. Second Cycle Primary Teacher Education Diploma Program
(10+3 NSTETs) is a three-year programme that admits students who have successfully
completed grade 10, and met the minimum requirements. The trainees need to take courses in
three components: the practicum, academic subject streams and shared professional courses.
The goal of the program is to produce academically and professionally qualified teachers
that are able to teach all the three subjects in their chosen stream effectively in the classroom
at their level /grade 5-8(TESO pre-service sub-committee, 2003:37-39).
2.4. Approaches of Science Education Provision
Singh and Kayak (2005:124) stated that a teacher of science has a Variety of methods and
techniques he might use in his every day classroom teaching. The main purpose of the
different methods is to make interactive process effective to attain the intended objectives. A
science teacher can select the most relevant methods of teaching, keeping in view the needs of
the learner and its relevance to the science content. Felder and Silverman, (1988: 674-681)
attempted to construct a framework for learning styles to highlight the difference between
diverse learning styles and the traditional teaching styles in science courses. They proposed
four dimensions of student learning styles based on:
1. The type of information they receive (sensory or intuitive),

14
2. The modality in which they receive it (visual or verbal),
3. The process by which they receive it (actively or reflectively), and
4. The order in which they receive it (sequentially or globally).
Singh and Kayak (2005:124) classified the different methods of teaching in to three: oral,
activity and special methods. The different oral methods are characterized by teacher centered
approach in which teacher gives knowledge through verbal means. In these methods, the
learners are passive listeners. The activity methods are learner centered in which learners are
actively involved in the learning process. The special methods are methods that require
specific technological facilities.
According to Felder and Silverman (1988: 674-681), the four dimensions are useful in
considering the diversity of learning styles and how teaching strategies in science classrooms
do or do not regularly provide access to learning for these different types of students.
Science coursework is generally rich in the amount of information being presented. In their
model, Felder and Silverman (1988: 674-681) proposed that students can differ substantially
in the types of information they prefer to receive during learning. At one extreme are sensory
students who prefer to receive facts and prefer clear expectations and well-established routines
in learning. Dichotomous to them are intuitive learners, who prefer to receive concepts, see
relationships among ideas, explore complexities and exceptions, and welcome innovative and
varied approaches to problems. Felder and Silverman (1988: 674-681) emphasized that there
is certainly a continuum of preferences between the extremes of sensory and intuitive learners
as described above but argue that the distinction is helpful in considering the match or
mismatch between these two learning style dimensions and an instructor's pedagogy in a
science course. Both types of learning are essential if a student is to acquire both the needed
knowledge base and the desired skills to apply the knowledge in thinking creatively about
scientific problems.
The second aspect of learning style proposed by Felder and Silverman relates to the actual
sensory modality through which learners get information. Visual learners are characterized by

15
preference for learning from demonstrations, pictures, diagrams, and graphs, whereas verbal
learners prefer opportunities to explore new material through language-based processes such
as talking, writing, explaining, and discussing. Felder (1993: 286 -290) pointed out that much
of college-level science teaching relies heavily on the use of the lecture as a pedagogical tool,
a practice that consistently would obstruct access to learning by a preferentially visual learner.
Also relevant to the dominant pedagogy of science classrooms, the third element of learning
style draws a distinction between active learners and reflective learners. They stated that
active learners prefer to learn while doing and being actively engaged in investigations, group
work, discussions, and other opportunities for student-student and student-instructor
interactions. Reflective learners, on the other hand, are more likely to prefer opportunities for
reflection, individual work, and a chance to digest information in the absence of social
context. The active learners might possess high interpersonal intelligence, whereas reflective
learners might excel in the domain of intrapersonal intelligence. Ideally, opportunities for both
individual and group work should be part of any introductory science course.
Finally, Felder and Silverman proposed a dimension of learning based on the preferred
manner in which learners build new knowledge for themselves, describing the dichotomy
between a sequential learner and a global learner. Sequential learners are described as
individuals who prefer a well-ordered, linear pathway to new knowledge, which is presented
as a series of smaller pieces that fit together. Global learners, in contrast, prefer to establish an
overview of the larger concepts and then proceed to under gird these ideas with smaller
details. In traditional science courses, sequential learners might likely excel, and might be able
to do so in the absence of understanding the systems and interconnectedness of major
concepts. In these same environments, however, global learners could get lost along with the
facts and fail to grasp the larger picture which is essential to them in knowledge building.
The current trends of science education provision in Ethiopia are to integrate knowledge and
application of science, which in turn leads to integration of technology and social issues in
science education with a methodology of student centered teaching learning process.
Therefore, the sciences offered at the lower cycle of the primary education take an integrated

16
approach and the subject is known collectively as environmental science; it incorporates both
natural and social science components. This is also intended to help the learner grasp more of
the applied as opposed to the pure science aspects adopting new trend in science education
(Ethiopian National Agency for UNESCO, 2001).
At the upper primary (5-8) education, the teaching of science follows a linear approach. It is
graded having systematic and progressive development from grades 5–8 though some
elements of integration are retained at grade 5 in the forms of Biological Science and Physical
Science. The full-fledged linearity of the sciences begins at grade 6 with Physics having
elements of applications of science and incorporating technology element. Chemistry also
emerges as a discipline again with applications of science incorporating technology at grade 7
(ibid).
The natural science core subject at the secondary level (grades 9-10 and grades11-12)
becomes distinctly differentiated as Biology, Chemistry and Physics. At this level, slight shift
of emphasis is on the pure science aspects. Nevertheless, aspects of applied sciences of
agriculture, and productive technology have to some extent been incorporated. It should be
noted that all of these science subjects- be it integrated or linear- have aspects of applied
science and related technology elements as their major contents to ensure the achievement of
problem solving capacity through the understanding of one's environment (ibid).
But the real classroom interaction of science education follows a traditional teaching approach
rather than student centered teaching learning process. According to Prince and Felder (2007),
Science courses are traditionally taught deductively. The instructor first teaches students
relevant theory and mathematical models, then moves on to textbook exercises, and
eventually gets to real-world applications. Often the only motivation students have to learn
the material, beyond grades, is the vague promise that it will be important later in the
curriculum or in their careers. Failure to connect the course content to the real world has
repeatedly been shown to contribute to students leaving the sciences. Though the different
active learning methods vary in quantity and persuasiveness, the collective evidences favoring

17
active learning over traditional teacher centered pedagogy is unequivocal. Active learning is
supported by widely accepted educational theories, cognitive science, and empirical research.
2.5. Teacher Education System Overhaul (TESO)
According to MoI (2005:15-17), quality of education in Ethiopia is poor due to a number of
reasons such as the education system weakness, shortage of qualified teachers and quality of
teachers. As unqualified teachers produce unqualified graduates, the problem continues and
become severe in academic subjects than vocational training. MoI also mentioned that
shortage of inputs such as texts, teaching aids, number of students per class and other
supplements are important factors that affect the quality of education. So quality became a
serious problem of Ethiopian education system.
There are instruments used to measure quality of education. According to MoI (2002:69-72),
the instruments used to measure quality of education vary from nation to nation. But there are
minimum requirements which are common for all nations. The quality indicators are:
1. Ethically and academically qualified teachers
2. Qualified and efficient educational administration system
3. Student centered, situational and standardized curriculum
4. Provision of education facilities
To improve the quality of education in Ethiopia, MoE tried to identify the gaps and change
the education system. In 2002, MoE conducted a study on the ‘Quality and Effectiveness of
Teacher Education in Ethiopia'. Based on the recommendations and indicative action plan
presented in the study report, a task force was established to produce the ‘National
Framework for the TESO Programme’. TESO consists of five priority programmes that have
been implemented since 2003. The programme is an extensive and radical reform of the
teacher education system encompassing areas from pre-service teacher education to
continuing professional development of teachers, the professionalizing of teacher educators,
selection for teacher education programmes and organization and advancing of teacher

18
education system itself. Quality is the core element of the whole programme (UNESCO
Institute for Capacity-Building in Africa, 2005).
The paradigm shift (TESO) involves: i) a commitment to active, learner-focused education,
ii) teaching which makes changes in ideas and directly in peoples’ lives, iii) taking the real
world into the classroom and taking teachers out into the real world, and iv) democratizing
teacher education - giving teachers, students and citizens confidence to make decisions and
take initiative, to take control of their world (TESO pre service sub-committee, 2003:5).
The MoE has set competencies that teachers of all levels must exhibit. Teachers need to be
competent in: producing responsible citizens, the subject and content of teaching, the
classroom, areas relating to the school and the education system, and the values, attributes,
ethics and abilities essential to professionalism in upholding the professional ethics (ibid).
However, the present paradigm shift practice of Ethiopian Teacher Education is characterized
by a landscape of persistent contradictions, challenges, and confusion. The state actors have
officially decided quick and sweeping change in the structure and content of teacher education
since 2003. But the state’s 'change agents' themselves are not yet familiar with and aware of
the descriptions and curricular concepts their consultants had introduced to them (Kedir,
2006).
Now, more and more indicators are accumulating that suggest schooling and teacher
preparation activities do not match in aims, practices, and conceptions. The gaps within and
between the discourse and practice reflect the depth of the confusion and the superficiality of
the engagement to change and improve teacher education in Ethiopia. In particular, practices
in secondary schools and teacher preparation activities in education faculties are in a state of
increasingly diverging tension and conflict (ibid).
The paradigm shift in teacher education system has several objectives. The new curriculum is
designed to:

19
1. prepare teachers who will be able to attain educational objectives contained in
National TESO framework
2. produce teachers who are academically qualified, professionally skilled, attitudinally
and ethically committed to their profession and able to teach all the subjects
effectively in the class room at their level;
3. prepare teachers who can confidently promote active learning and develop the
problem solving skills through a learner centered approach where contents and
methods are integrated;
4. attract interested and potentially able students towards teaching profession;
5. equip teachers with knowledge of their students’ physical, social, emotional, and
intellectual development including those with special needs;
6. produce professionally responsible and dependable teachers aware of their rights and
obligations;
7. equip teachers with knowledge and ability in classroom management, which fosters
constructive student inquiries and interaction;
8. prepare teachers who can actively apply continuous assessment and evaluation to
students’ learning and have basic knowledge and application of action research;
9. actively encourage student teachers to develop their learning potential;
10. establish strong links and clear communication between all stake holders in the
education system;
11. prepare teachers who can choose, produce and make use of appropriate educational
technologies to enrich students’ learning
12. establish a system and culture of continuous teacher development programme that
prepare school students to become good citizens with strong ethical values
13. produce confident students who have understanding of their role in Ethiopian society
and who are equipped with skills which they will need to make a useful contribution to
the society
14. use local language for classroom interaction where appropriate (TESO pre service
sub-committee, 2003:37).

20
The three year training is designed in such a way that the essential contents of the grade level
are completed in the first two years training of the programme. The planners believed that the
training is sufficient enough to produce qualified teachers to the level required. In the third
year, NSTETs are expected to master the subject area contents with appropriate methods
(ibid: 45-46).
2.6. Factors Affecting Curriculum Implementation
As noted by Solomon (2000:20) there are a number of factors that could inhibit or facilitate
realization of the curriculum. The sources of the problems or factors affecting the realization
of implementation are usually lack of emphases given to implementation by policy makers.
Policy makers rarely develop a process for the implementation or their formulations. They
expect the people on the receiving end of the policy to make it simply work or practice. It
seems that usually policy makers consider the change as an event, not as a process.
Implementation process is a change process and in this change process there are a number of
interacting factors affecting implementation. The major factors which influence
implementation as categorized by Marlow and Minehira (2003) are seven. These are
temporal, physical, political/legal, organizational, personal, economic and cultural factors.
To implement the change in schools, time certainly emerges as a critical issue. Teachers want
to know when they will learn about the expected changes, when they will have time to
practice them prior to full implementation, and how they will fit into the daily routine. For
many teachers, time–especially instructional time–is seen as their most precious resource.
This is why the temporal actions, such as changing bell schedules and school calendars, often
precede major curriculum changes. Effective principals understand how important the time
issues are to teachers and direct their efforts toward ensuring that teachers have sufficient time
to learn about, and implement the curriculum change (ibid).

21
The physical factors also play role on implementation of curriculum. So the principal should
try to obtain necessary materials and equipment to support teachers in curriculum
implementation and should be aware of how the school’s physical condition can have an
impact on teaching and learning process. The other point is that the principal must be aware of
any political or legal requirements before approving any curricular program for
implementation (ibid).
Organizational and personal factors are probably the most crucial ones for the principal to
consider in curriculum implementation because they deal with human considerations, and all
change ultimately depends on the willingness of the people involved to adapt. This means that
there must be a high level of trust between the principal, teachers, and the larger school
community. Principals must make the time and effort to know their teachers and students
well, and the parents to a certain extent. Principals must understand not only the importance
and relevance of the curricular innovation, but also have insight as to how the people involved
will respond to the change. Effective principals provide support and encouragement for
teachers, capitalizing on their strengths and reassuring them at times when they feel uncertain
about implementing change (ibid).
Like physical factor, economic factor may affect implementation of the curriculum. The most
effective principals are often those who have a clear picture of economic constraints–and
potential resources–at the federal, state, and local levels, and are able to minimize the
constraints and capitalize on the resources. Principals are expected to lead their schools not
only in curriculum development and implementation, but also in helping to pay for the
innovations (ibid).
The cultural framework of the curriculum does not relate directly to the technical dimensions
of implementation. A curriculum depends upon two sets of cultural factors: those of the
school, and those of the community. For effective implementation, the principal must be
aware of the accepted beliefs and norms governing people’s conduct in both the school and
community and must guide the implementation process accordingly. It is especially important

22
that the curriculum be developed to fit the needs of the community (ibid). The factors
affecting curriculum implementation are summarized as shown below.
Figure 2. Factors affecting curriculum implementation

23
2.7. Teaching and Learning Biology
Biology Education is said to be the science for knowledge of life intricacies because it
provides to individuals and society, the knowledge that enables them to live a proper life.
Georgewill (2006:25) summarized the roles of biology education as follows.
1. It helps an individual understand himself, the part of his body and their functions.
2. It questions superstitions caused by sustained interest arising from a comprehension of the
causes of events.
3. It brings into sharper focus, the need to maintain good health such as using clean water,
clean air, having good sanitation, vaccination against infectious diseases, exercise and
adequate rest as well as eating balanced diet.
4. It promotes the understanding of the relation of man to his environment as well as
acknowledges the interrelationships that exist between living and non-living things.
5. It prepares the individual for both professional and vocational selections in medicine,
dentistry, agriculture, pharmacy, teacher education etc.
6. It prepares the individual for higher education.
7 It inculcates scientific skills and attitudes into an individual that will help him handle both
personal and social problems, ask questions, formulate hypotheses, analyze data, and make
inferences and predictions.
8. It increases the individual’s interest and aesthetic appreciation of nature, because where
there is admiration of nature, there will also be the desire to protect it.
9. It stimulates interest in biologically based hobbies such as floriculture, collecting insects
etc, thereby encouraging leisure activities for individual enjoyment.
10. It imparts factual knowledge and stimulates reflective thinking to produce a better-
informed individual.
Trainees are expected to teach biology using appropriate teaching methods. TESO pre service
sub-committee (2003:46) stated that all subject areas will deal with active learning, problem
solving, assessment and planning, reflective teaching, classroom management, life skills,
resource preparation, gender issues and strategies for helping students with learning
difficulties.

24
Problem-based learning (PBL), one of the active learning methods, is an exciting way to learn
biology and is readily incorporated into large classes in a lecture hall environment. PBL
engages students in solving authentic biological case problems, stimulating discussion among
students and reinforcing learning. A problem-based learning environment follows the
workplace and develops self-directed learners. This is preferable to a mimetic learning
environment in which students only watch, memorize, and repeat what they have been told.
The method is applicable to any class size and educational level (Ommundsen, 2001).
To facilitate PBL, the instructors should do the following activities:
(1) Forming small groups of students either by asking them to form groups of 3-5 students, or
assigning the groups himself or by lottery.
(2) Presenting the students with a brief problem statement
3) Activating the groups by asking them to brainstorm possible causes of the problem
4) Providing a continuous feedback. The key to managing a PBL session is providing
continual feedback to maintain student enthusiasm while simultaneously prolonging the
resolution of the problem to ensure that adequate learning occurs. The students might not
solve a problem on the first pass, and the feedback from the instructor motivates the next
work.
(5) Asking for a solution. At this point the groups will likely focus on the solutions of the
problem (TESO pre service sub-committee, 2003:14-15).
Effective problem-solving skill requires an orderly approach. Problem-solving skills do not
magically appear in students as a result of instructors simply throwing problems at them.
Students need to use the following heuristic: "How to make a DENT in a problem: Define the
problem carefully; explore possible solutions; narrate their choices; and test their solutions”
(Ommundsen, 2001).
2.8. Student Evaluation in Biology
Students’ evaluation can be viewed as a cyclical process including four phases: preparation,
assessment, evaluation, and reflection. The evaluation process involves the teacher as a

25
decision maker throughout the four phases. In the preparation phase, decisions are made
which identify what is to be evaluated, the type of evaluation (formative, summative, or
diagnostic) to be used, the criteria against which student learning outcomes will be judged,
and the most appropriate assessment strategies with which to gather information on student
progress. The teacher's decisions in this phase form the basis for the remaining phases (Elliott
et al., 2000:423-427).
During the assessment phase, the teacher identifies information-gathering strategies,
constructs or selects instruments, administers them to the student, and collects the information
on student learning progress. The teacher continues to make decisions in this phase. The
identification and elimination of bias (such as gender and culture bias) from the assessment
strategies and instruments, and the determination of where, when, and how assessments will
be conducted are examples of important considerations for the teacher (Saskatchewan
Education, 1992).
During the evaluation phase, the teacher interprets the assessment information and makes
judgments about student progress. Based on the judgments or evaluations, teachers make
decisions about student learning programs and report on progress to students, parents, and
appropriate school personnel (Elliott et al., 2000:454).
The reflection phase allows the teacher to consider the extent to which the previous phases in
the evaluation process have been successful. Specifically, the teacher evaluates the utility and
appropriateness of the assessment strategies used and such reflection assists the teacher in
making decisions concerning improvements or modifications to subsequent teaching and
evaluation. All four phases are included in formative, diagnostic, and summative evaluation
processes (Saskatchewan Education, 1992).

26
Figure 3. The process of students’ evaluation
At the start of any class, a teacher has a group of new students as they will be dealing with the
material from different point of view within an evolving system of interactions. The learning
objectives of the curriculum become the criteria by which to assess the students. The
objectives may be attainable by the majority of students, but for some students, they will be
outside their capabilities (Saskatchewan Education, 1992).
2.9. Nature of Tests and the Objectives to be Measured
Using tests, a teacher can assess the match between a trainee and the instructional practice
over a very narrow range of skills. The results may be unattainable by some students.
Alternatively, some students may not reach full potential because they are not challenged but
are allowed to remain at the acceptable "average". So the needs of all students must be
considered for effective teaching and learning to occur. Tests become a critical link in

27
teaching learning process when teachers provide students with clear feedback about results
(Elliott et al., 2000:423-427).
In assessing the progress of students, methods can be established for addressing knowledge,
values, and abilities in ways that suit the nature of the factor. Assessment can be based on oral
or written response or observations of performance or some combination of these.
Performance tasks are excellent ways to assess scientific and technical knowledge and skills.
For example, reading a thermometer diagram is not the same as knowing how best to use and
place the thermometer in order to measure temperature (ibid:434) .
The best way to assess whether students can perform an activity is to observe them while they
are actually performing the activity. The use of subjective records, observation checklists, and
rating scales can assist in data collection when these observations have taken place. Examples
of performance tasks in biology are microscope care, microscope techniques, wet-mount
preparation, dissection techniques, equipment set-up and demonstrations, (Cruickshank et al.,
1995:282-284)
The types of tasks and questions which students are expected to address influence their
responses. When the tasks and questions are limited, so are the responses. Tasks and questions
which elicit only one word or simple sentence answers test only basic recall of factual
knowledge. It is very important to consider that once students have formulated a model in a
particular context during a science activity, and same context is given in the assessment, the
response is only recall, and not a test of any conceptual or process ability. Assessment must
require slightly different conditions so the ability is tested through a new set of events
(Saskatchewan Education, 1992).
Good questioning is extremely important for effective teaching and learning. Avoid questions
where there is only a single response. Structure questions in such a way that require some type
of reasoning in order to develop critical and creative thinking. Students may be asked to
interpret a graph or photograph, or to answer a question orally. Assessment does not have to

28
consist totally of written work. Varied formats should be adapted to students of different
learning styles (ibid).
Formative assessment is preferred over Summative assessment to solve the teaching learning
problems. But, the Summative assessment items following the completion of a unit can cover
more scope and depth than formative assessment items. Apart from the scope and depth of the
activities selected, the format of summative assessment can be just as varied, including
practical tasks, interpretation of graphs and photographs, and investigative problems and
assignments (Cruickshank et al., 1995:263).
Objective tests usually assess only basic factual recall. Such tests should be used as little as
possible and fewer marks should be awarded them in comparison with those items that require
process abilities (Arends, 1994:224).
Essay questions are more useful tests. They can promote the processes of science and can be
used in both formative and summative assessment. For those students who have difficulty
writing, discuss the essay topic for the assessment. Illustrations or art projects, an oral report,
a concept map, a project, journal writing, or a science challenge activity may serve as
innovative alternatives to the written essay (Saskatchewan Education, 1992)
Projects are useful items for recording as summative assessments, because they usually cover
a topic in depth as well as scope. They also involve the use of a range of process abilities.
Difficulties might arise in assessing the individual participation of each student, if the project
is a group effort. The contributions and participation of individuals within a group can often
be determined by observing the ways in which the group members interact with one another
and with other members of the class or by using student self-assessment. The number and
type of assignments completed in a learning center can also be recorded as a summative
assessment (ibid).
There are valid reasons to assess students' value and attitude outcomes at school and to
attempt to promote these with effective teaching methods and individual student reflection.

29
Emphasizing many of these values through the grades can provide the reinforcement to help
students to incorporate the values into their lives. Through the school years, students display
their current values and attitudes by what they say, write, and do. These three actions can be
used for assessment purposes. When a value or attitude is observed, record the observation
(ibid).
In Ethiopia, to guarantee quality assurance, TESO (2003:18) set standardized assessment
patterns for subject area, and professional courses and practicum. Continuous assessment of
the cognitive level of subject area and professional courses is (25%). This assessment may
include 2-3 written assessments and 1-2 non written assignments, and some elements of group
work. Assessment of practical activities such as teaching skills also shares 25%, project 25%
and final examination 25% of the total value. With regard to practicum, they share as
continuous assessment competencies 25%, block teaching competencies 50% and portfolio
25%. Such values may be gathered using the following mechanisms: subjective records,
laboratory report, observation checklist, oral response, peer assessment, portfolio, project or
written report, performance test, rating scale, written test and self assessment.

30
3. MATERIALS AND METHODS
As mentioned earlier, this study focused on examining the implementation of Biology
curriculum at DCTE. The methodological framework of this study was descriptive survey.
Descriptive survey was preferred to other methods as it enables to make investigations with
predictions, narration of events, comparisons, and drawing of conclusions based on the
information obtained from relatively large and representative samples of the target population.
The target population consisted of 269 participants (163 third year and 93 second year natural
science education NSTETs, 10 biology instructors, 1 department head and 2 principals).
3.1. Samples and Sampling Techniques
The study was conducted at DCTE which is found in ANRS, South Wollo Administrative
Zone, Dessie town. It is 401 km. from the capital city of Ethiopia. It location indicated in the
figure below.
#
Ethiopia
Debub Wollo
# Desie town
400 0 400 800 Kilometers
N
E
W
S
#
Figure 4.The location of the study area

31
As indicated in the introductory part, the institute was established by the MoE in 1980. Since
then, it had trained certificate holding teachers up to August 2007 in both regular and
extension programs. In addition to certificate program, the institute has been training diploma
teachers in five streams, namely, Natural Science, Mathematics, Language, Aesthetics, and
Social Studies, since September 2003. The major objective of the training is to produce
qualified and competent teachers, in line with TESO, for the second cycle of primary
education.
Although there are four CTEIs (Gondar, Debremarkos, Dessie and Debrebirhan) in the
ANRS, DCTE was selected for this study purposively for the following reasons:
1. easy access for gathering information from the target population
2. the area is not researched before with the problem stated
3. familiarity of the researcher with the area.
4. to minimize the research cost and the time required for the study
The descriptive survey is also selected purposively as it is crucial for the purpose of the study.
In connection with this, Wiersma, (1995:15) had indicated that a survey research is important
to deal with the incidence, distribution and relationships of educational variables in their
natural settings. Wiersma (ibid: 175-176) also said that descriptive surveys are used to
measure attitudes, opinions or achievements or variables in their natural settings. Similarly,
Elliott et al., (2000:586) had reported the importance of descriptive survey method to test
hypothesis or answer questions related to the current status of the problems.
To answer the specific research questions set for this study; both quantitative and qualitative
data were collected from respondents as well as other relevant documentary sources. There
were three categories of respondents (trainees, instructors, and program managers). Further
more, the biology curricula at the college as well as at the upper primary schools (Grade 7 &
8) served as strong sources of evidence for the study.
There were three research subjects (participants) from the managerial position (the dean, the
vice dean and the department head) who were selected purposefully as sources of data

32
because of their in-depth knowledge about the program and the responsibilities they had in the
college studied.
Purposive and simple random sampling methods were used to select representative samples
from the target population of DCTE. Accordingly, the sample of the study constituted those
NSTETs who had attended biology courses at DCTE at least for two full semesters. This was
done in order to obtain in-depth and reliable information and data. To this end, 163 third year
and 93 second year students attending in the natural science stream who are all taking biology
courses were considered as the total target student population in DCTE. The individual
samples were then selected from such NSTETs randomly using lottery method. The size of
the sampled NSTETs was forty percent of each of the two batches.
The reason why the relatively senior natural science students (second and third year students)
were deliberately included (incorporated) into the sample was to increase the chance of
obtaining better information as they had a relatively longer time of exposure in the college
than the first year students.
Furthermore, among the instructors of biology working in the college, seven of them were
purposively included in the study as they could provide detailed information about the process
of implementation of biology teacher education at DCTE. Three of the biology instructors had
no experience and exposure to the profession. So, they were not included in the sample. The
following table best depicts the overall population and specific sample size of the study.
Table 1. Population and sample size of the study
Target groups Total Group size Sample size
10+3 NSTETs 163 65
10+2 NSTETs 93 37
Instructors 10 7
Deans & department head 3 3
Total 269 112

33
3.2. Source of Data and Data Gathering Tools
Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data were collected from
the sampled respondents of the study through questionnaires that contained open ended and
close ended questions, achievement tests, observation and interview. The questionnaires
prepared for NSTETs and biology instructors had three major parts. The first part focused on
rating of the different aspects of the curriculum; its adequacy, its extent of implementation,
the outcomes of implementation, emphasis given to implementation, and NSTETs’ attitude
towards the profession. The congruency of the college biology curriculum with that of upper
primary school (grade 7 & 8) biology curricula was mainly gathered from third year NSTETs
and instructors. The second part focused on obtaining detailed information on the overall
implementation process and factors affecting implementation or on parts that needed further
explanation using open ended integrated with close ended question. So the major instrument
used for gathering information from students and instructors was close ended questionnaire.
The questionnaires were adopted from the TESO curriculum guideline objectives. The third
part of the questionnaire contained randomly listed possible factors that could impede
implementation of the biology curriculum at DCTE and respondents were asked to rank these
possible factors according to the degree of their influence. All possible factors were listed
and ranked by the NSTETs and instructors of biology education according to the perceived
severity of each factor in affecting the implementation process. Then the individual ranks
were further ranked to discriminate the order of the factors affecting the implementation of
the biology curriculum.
Before administering the questionnaires, they were pre-tested. The purpose of the pilot study
was to avoid ambiguity; confusion and poorly prepared items. The pilot test was done with a
limited number of individuals, usually five to ten; seldom more than twenty five, and the
samples were similar to all intended respondents (Wiersma, 1995:175-176). The pre-testing
involved 12 NSTETs (five of second year and seven of third NSTETs) from DBCTE, an
institution which was believed to be equivalent to the study area in terms of objectives,
capacity and the presence of educational levels similar to the target population, to predict the

34
effectiveness of the instruments. In addition to the pilot test, the questionnaires were
commented by three biology instructors of Wollo University. Subsequently, based on the pre-
test value and the comments given, amendments were made; the vague items were either
discarded or modified and the relevant items were included.
Though all the questionnaires were originally prepared in English, as it was the medium of
instruction at upper primary school and at DCTE, they were translated to Amharic language
by taking into consideration the English language difficulty of the respondents, which was
observed in the pilot study. This was done after they were piloted to see the extent to which
they were appropriate to serve the purpose of the study. Translation was done by the
researcher himself and commented by three Amharic department instructors of Wollo
University. Based on the comments given, some amendments were made on sentence
construction and on preferable word selection. Then all the distributed questionnaires for
NSTETs were filled and returned under close supervision of the researcher. The seven
biology instructors also filled the same and returned properly.
Based on the biology curriculum course descriptions of the college, the course outlines of the
courses and the teaching materials of the courses, achievement tests were prepared. Prior to
preparation of the achievement tests, a table of specification was prepared by considering the
credit hours of the courses. Then, 25 and 22 achievement test items were prepared for third
and second year NSTETs based on table of specification by the researcher in collaboration
with three biology instructors of DCTE to increase the validity of the tests. The tests were
prepared based on the specific objectives of the contents of biology courses listed on the
course outline and the teaching materials of the college. The test items were prepared from all
the courses students covered. The test items for second year NSTETs were prepared from the
first four general biology courses and for third year NSTETs from the entire courses as the
academic year was completed. The achievement tests were also pre-tested taking 64 NSTETs
(31 second year and 33 third year NSTETs) from the DBCTE to assess the reliability of the
test items using the coefficient alpha formula.

35







 



2
)
)
1
(
2
11
t
i
i
t
SD
q
p
SD
n
n
r and
 
2
n
x
x
SD i
t
 

Where r11 =the estimate reliability of the test
Where r11 =the estimate reliability of the test
n = the number of items in the test
SDt
2
=the standard deviation of the test scores
Pi = the population passing individual items
qi = the population failing the item
X i =the i th
test score
x = the mean test score (Thordike, 1997:102-103).
The estimated reliability values of the pretests, using the formula, were +0.88 and +0.89 for
third and second year NSTET respectively. According to Elliott et al., (2000:432), teacher
constructed tests are considered as reliable when the coefficient alpha value is equal or greater
than +0.80. Thus, higher calculated values showed the reliability of the pretests. The
discrimination index of the individual test items were also calculated by subtracting the
number of students who got the item correct in the lower group from the number who got it
correct on the upper group and dividing the difference by the number in one group to know
the effectiveness of the items in relation to the intended objectives. As shown in Table 9 in the
Appendix, the indices of 23 and 20 test items of third and second year NSTETs generally
ranged from +0.25 to +0.50 which were acceptable and the indices of two other test items fell
below +0.20 and above +0.50 and were considered as poor discriminators (Thorndike,
1997:480-482). The test items were also commented up on by biology instructors of Wollo
University. Based on the results of the pre-test value and the comments given, amendments
were made before the real use of the instruments. The two items with poor discrimination
power were discarded from the achievement test items. Then the NSTETs were informed a
week before administration of this test. The test items were prepared to assess NSTETs’
achievement of intended academic knowledge with some skills in the courses. Then the data

36
from students’ achievement tests were collected, organized and used for analysis. As the
TESO curriculum is objective-oriented, the results of the tests were interpreted using criterion
referenced evaluation approach to know NSTETs mastery level (ibid: 56-57). So based on
their test results, NSTETs were classified into two categories: greater than or equal to the
minimum mastery level and below the minimum mastery level and then their percentages
were calculated. Even though there is no standardized value to measure mastery of a subject
matter, the minimum mastery level in this study was taken as 50% as the grading system of
the ANRS-CTEIs including DCTE was predetermined with a minimum passing mark of fifty
percent (ANRSEB, 2006:16).
The classroom activities and participation of the NSTETs were also observed and used as a
source of data for analysis in the overall study. The classroom observation ratings and
checklists were taken from the TESO curriculum guideline for the pre-service teacher
education programmes. In preparing the observation ratings and checklists, important
behaviors and characteristics were listed into an appropriate format. The format was adopted
from Solomon (2000:50-51). The rating scales were prepared with three point scales to
indicate the frequency of implementation of the variables of biology curriculum in line with
the guidelines of TESO. Similarly, the checklists were prepared with two point scales to
indicate the absence or presence of identified implementation variables. Two instructors of
the educational psychology department of DCTE commented on the ratings as well as the
checklist items and subsequently two additional instructional variables were included.
Interview was also used to secure in-depth information or data about the process of
implementation of biology curriculum in the area of study. So the researcher employed
interview guides which were prepared by him and commented up on by three biology
instructors of Wollo University before final utilization. Similar to that of the questionnaires,
the interview guides were first prepared in English and translated to Amharic language to
obtain the necessary in-depth qualitative data from 6 second year NSTETs, 6 third year
NSTETs, one biology instructor, one department head and two deans. The data obtained from
the respondents were recorded, and translated back into English.

37
As supplement of the data gathered above, the match and mismatch between contents of
biology curricula at DCTE and at upper primary school was compared using the lists of
contents of the biology course outlines at DCTE and the contents of grade7 and 8 biology
texts to know the effectiveness of the training.
3.3. Data Analysis
To answer the research questions, the data gathered were analyzed using both qualitative and
quantitative approaches. The first two research questions were answered through triangulated
analyses of various data on the implementation of biology curriculum versus the TESO
principles. This was done by properly classifying, tabulating and calculating the data from
close ended questionnaire and observation ratings and checklists to draw statistical inferences.
The analysis was done using tally, frequency count and percentage as statistical tools. In
addition to the above quantitative data, the qualitative data from open ended questionnaires
and interview guides were presented, narrated and described. Furthermore, the attainment of
intended academic knowledge was measured using achievement test results. The results of the
achievement tests were classified, tabulated and computed to draw conclusion.
The congruence between the biology curricula at DCTE and at upper primary school was
analyzed using data from questionnaires, interview and curricular documents. The data from
questionnaires were tabulated and computed to draw conclusions on the extent of congruence.
The qualitative data was quoted, categorized and narrated to generalize the extent of content
congruency of the two curricula. To supplement the above data, the content congruency of the
two curricula was checked by simple comparison of the contents in the two curricular
documents.
To know the factors affecting implementation of biology curriculum at DCTE, the data from
interview guides and open ended questionnaires were presented using some quotations. In
addition to the above data, the ranks of the possible factors affecting implementation were
classified, tabulated and ranked according to their influence by calculating the mean value of

38
each possible factor. The smaller the mean value of the possible problem, the higher is in its
rank and its impact on implementation.
Finally, the results of the analysis and interpretation of the data obtained were discussed and
summarized to forward implications and/or recommendations on the basis of the findings.

39
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In this chapter, the data collected from different sources using questionnaires (close and open-
ended), interviews, achievement test, observation ratings and checklists and curricular
documents are presented and discussed. The direct quoted opinions from informants were
coded using symbols D1, D2 and D3 for principals and department head; 3NS1, 3NS2, 3NS3;
and 2NS1, 2NS2, 2NS3 for third year and second year NSTETs respectively. Presentation of
the data is followed by discussion and interpretation in line with the major research questions
(objectives) outlined.
4.1. Clarity of the Program to the School Community
As shown in Table 1 in the Appendix, four of the biology instructors responded that they have
clear understanding on the objectives of TESO, and three of them mentioned that they have
no clear view on the program. Concerning NSTETs clarity to the program objectives, 54.1%
and 56.9% of second and third year NSTETs respectively mentioned that they have clear view
of the program. Similarly, three of the instructors suggested that the new program objectives
are clear for NSTETs. The rest three instructors suggested as NSTETs didn’t know the
objectives of the program and one of the instructors responded that he was not sure whether
NSTETs knew it or not.
The interview data from principals indicated as there was no problem on clarity of the TESO
objectives. One of the principals (D1) said:
As trainers were trained repeatedly about the program at different workshops,
I don’t think there would be a clarity problem on the program objectives.
The suggestion of the principal was his belief rather than telling what was really happening in
the college. He didn’t know the real classroom interaction among teachers and trainees as he
assumed there is no clarity problems.

40
Similarly D2 said:
All the college communities/the instructors, the trainees and administrative/
have enough understanding on the TESO curriculum objectives.
But the implementers themselves responded the presence of some clarity problem on the
objectives of the programme. Regarding to the clarity problem, D3 said:
Though there was an introduction of the programme, until now there exists a
clarity problem. The instructors don’t have enough understanding of the
programme objectives. So it is better to have workshop especially on course
breakdown.
From the data we can conclude that the programme is not clear for nearly half of the college
community members.
4.2. Adequacy and Responsiveness of the Curriculum
DCTE offers five general biology courses with a total of 17 credit hours. The courses,
contents and credit given are summarized.
Table 2.The five biology courses, the major contents and the credit hours of the courses
s/n Course Number contents credit
1 General Biology I
(Boil 111)
 the science of biology
 cell biology
 the chemical basis of life
 classification
 plants
 structure & function
(5cr.hr.)
2 General biology II
(Boil 122)  human biology and the various human
diseases
 the various systems
 various diseases and their causes
(5cr.hr.)
3 General biology III
(Boil 231)
 microorganisms (bacteria and virus)
 respiration
 genetics and evolution
(2cr.hr.)
4 General biology IV
(Boil 351)  the major groups of animals
(3cr.hr.)
5 General biology V
(Boil 362)  environmental biology
(2cr.hr.)
(DCTE, 2006:1-2).

41
Table 3.The opinion of respondents on adequacy of the biology curriculum to prepare trainees for upper primary school biology
teaching
items R Alternatives
V. low Low Fair High V. high Total
f % f % f % f % f % f %
1.Coverage of the curriculum in relation
to upper primary school biology
curriculum
10+3 0 0 0 0 0 0 45 69.2 20 30.8 65 100
Inst. 0 0 3 4 0 7 100
2.Depth of the curriculum in relation to
upper primary school biology curriculum
10+3 0 0 0 0 19 29.2 41 63.1 5 7.7 65 100
Inst. 0 0 4 3 0 7 100
3.Capacity of the curriculum to prepare
the trainees for further training or
education
10+3 0 0 0 0 27 41.5 35 53.8 3 4.6 65 100
Inst. 0 0 4 3 0 7 100
4.Capacity of the curriculum to prepare
students for the real world teaching of
biology in the upper primary school
10+3 6 9.2 23 35.4 18 27.7 18 27.7 0 0 65 100
Inst. 0 3 3 1 0 7 100
5.Time allotted for the biology courses 10+3 34 52.3 28 43.1 3 4.6 0 0 0 0 65 100
Inst. 5 2 0 0 0 7 100
6.Integration of biology with physics and
chemistry courses
10+3 0 0 10 15.4 36 55.4 16 24.6 3 4.6 65 100
Inst. 0 0 2 4 1 7 100

42
Respondents’ opinion on the five general biology courses coverage, depth, and capacity to
prepare NSTETs for further education and for real world teaching was gathered using
questionnaires and interview items and the responses obtained as such were almost similar for
most of the respondents. Data gathered using questionnaires on the coverage of the biology
curriculum of the college vis-à-vis that of the upper primary school biology curriculum is
shown below.
As shown in Table 2, Respondents’ opinion on the five general biology courses coverage,
depth, and capacity to prepare NSTETs for further education and for real world teaching was
explanatory. The data indicated that the coverage of the biology courses in the college is
greater than that of upper primary school biology curriculum. Most of the third year NSTETs
(69.2%) and the instructors (four) responded as the coverage is sufficient enough to prepare
NSTETs for upper primary school biology teaching. The rest of the instructors and third year
NSTETs also said the coverage is sufficient and very high, respectively. These values
indicated that there is no problem in coverage of the course contents to teach biology at upper
primary schools.
The courses are also deep enough to prepare trainees for teaching biology at upper primary
school. All respondent third year NSTETs and instructors responded that the depth of the
curriculum is high and fair to produce qualified teachers that can teach biology at upper
primary school specially those of Grade 7 and 8. Thus, the overall respondents’ opinion
showed that the depth of the courses is sufficient enough to produce qualified biology
teachers for the second cycle primary school.
The capacity of the curriculum to prepare NSTETs for further education was also rated as fair
and highly sufficient (by 100% of the respondents). So the curriculum has enough capacity to
prepare trainees for further education.
The curriculum’s capacity to prepare NSTETs for upper primary school teaching of biology in
real world context was rated by nearly half of the third year NSTETs and instructors as below
the satisfactory line. The reason is that there is some limitation of the curriculum in aspects of

43
integration of contents and methods to prepare NSTETs for upper primary school biology
teaching.
On time allotted, more than 90% of third year NSTETs and all instructors responded as there
was a time constraint to cover the biology courses. This indicated that though the contents of
the biology curriculum document are sufficient enough in depth and coverage to attain the
intended academic knowledge, the time constraint is the major limiting factor. Concerning
integration of the biology curriculum with other natural science courses, the biology course
description of DCTE (2006:1) indicates that the goal of the courses is to produce qualified
teachers in diploma level who are able to teach biology integrated with other natural science
subjects in the second cycle primary school. The opinion of respondents on the degree of
integration of the biology courses with other natural science subjects was sufficient enough.
More than 84% of respondents’ response indicated that the curriculum is designed in the way
that NSTETs can integrate the natural science subject matters.
The open ended questionnaire data gathered from second and third year NSTETs indicated
that the contents of the courses are so vast (are very wide in terms of coverage and depth) that
they have the potential to produce qualified teachers for upper primary school. They further
said the courses are sufficient enough in depth and coverage to teach beyond upper primary
school. But there is time constraint to cover and master the intended academic knowledge.
The courses material is not covered on the time given. The instructors skipped some of the
contents of the biology courses. As trainees mentioned, they are going to be graduated with
out attaining the intended objectives.
The comparative results of the two curricular contents also indicated that they are highly
congruent. All the contents of grade seven and eight biology curricula are included in the
biology curriculum of the college. There are contents in the college biology curriculum which
are not included in grade seven and eight biology curricula. e.g. the chemistry of life. The
contents are presented in detail, but the materials are prepared carelessly. In some parts of the
material, the bodies of the contents are not well organized in meaningful manner. Some of
them are written and others are photocopied and sandwiched. There is a redundancy of ideas

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